Airspace Watch Analysis Desk
Germany will deploy four Eurofighter Typhoon jets to Latvia for a one-week air-policing mission around the country’s Oct. 3 parliamentary election, the German Defense Ministry said. The aircraft will operate from Lielvārde air base in central Latvia in late September and early October, alongside several dozen German soldiers and technicians. Defense News reported the deployment based on the ministry’s statement.
Latvian authorities requested assistance from allied countries to secure the country’s airspace during the election, according to Germany. The mission is scheduled to cover the period surrounding the vote, with the German aircraft expected to remain in Latvia for about a week.
Germany describes the deployment as part of NATO’s enhanced Air Policing North, or eAPN, in the Baltic states. The one-week mission is shorter than the alliance’s routine four-month air-policing rotations. Its stated focus is the protection of Latvian airspace during the parliamentary election, which is scheduled for Oct. 3.
The four Eurofighters will be accompanied by several dozen personnel responsible for operating and supporting the aircraft. Their base, Lielvārde, is in central Latvia and has previously hosted visiting or rotating NATO aircraft. The location gives the German contingent an operating site inside Latvia during the election period rather than relying only on bases in neighboring Baltic countries.
Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania do not operate national fighter fleets. Estonia and Lithuania generally host NATO aircraft in the northern and southern parts of the Baltic region, while Latvia does not usually have allied fighter jets permanently stationed on its territory. Aircraft based in the neighboring Baltic states have instead helped cover Latvian airspace.
The arrangement reflects the geography of Baltic air defense. The three countries are NATO members on the alliance’s eastern flank, but their national air forces do not include fighter aircraft for air-policing duties. NATO aircraft operating from the region can therefore provide coverage beyond the territory where they are based. The German mission will place four fighters at a Latvian air base for the specific period identified by the Latvian request and German announcement.
The election mission comes amid wider concern among Baltic governments about security on NATO’s eastern flank. The region has also experienced repeated unauthorized drone incursions. Some drones have been identified as Ukrainian aircraft that strayed from their intended routes toward targets in Russia. Other incidents remain unidentified, according to the Defense News report.
The report also described an incident in neighboring Lithuania in which Italian NATO fighter jets shot down a suspected Russian-made drone after it crossed into Lithuanian airspace from Belarus. It was described as the first time a drone had been shot down in Lithuanian airspace. The incident formed part of the regional context surrounding the German announcement, which cited concerns over drone incursions from Russia and Belarus.
Lielvārde has hosted other NATO aircraft on temporary visits or rotations. Two Turkish F-16 fighter jets visited the base in late August. In April, French Rafale jets operating from Šiauliai, Lithuania, visited the Latvian airfield. NATO has also used Lielvārde for airborne warning and control system aircraft during missions along the Russian border.
The German Eurofighters are scheduled to arrive for the late-September and early-October period and remain for about one week. Their assignment is tied to Latvia’s request for allied support during the parliamentary election. The deployment places German fighter aircraft at Lielvārde while Latvian authorities prepare for the Oct. 3 vote and as NATO continues air-policing activity across the Baltic region.